The Only New Apartment Checklist You Need When Moving Into Your First Place

Relocating is a complex and challenging process, especially if you’ve never done it before. From finding the place, you’ll live to equip it with necessities for comfortable living. That’s why having a new apartment checklist will be more than helpful to get organized. Also, you’ll remain organized even after the move, when professional long-distance movers near you unload the last box from their truck.

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October 31, 2021 Posted in Housing Tips

Once you decide it’s time to move out and want a fresh start, you’ll have some organizing to do. Did you know that 90% of young adults (by the age of 27) move out from their parent’s homes? But, this number doesn’t mean much, because when you feel ready, you’ll do it, right? If that’s the case, then you better get some house hunting tips and start finding reliable long-distance moving services. The more help you have, like with packing services or with your auto transport, the more likely you’ll have a stress-free move.

Why Having a New Apartment Checklist Is a Must?

We all dream of making a big step in our life and living independently. One of the ways is to move out from your parent’s home. Because, at some point, we just like to have control of our lives, and moving into a place is a great solution.

Moving far away from your family can be quite tricky because there are many details you need to think about. Otherwise, you can find yourself in a dead-end street, and the whole process can become just too overwhelming. That’s why you have to organize your move and know the moving essentials will ease the whole process.

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Start With Preparations as Soon as Possible

People move for many reasons, but many of them don’t know one crucial thing. How you prepare and organize the move will decide whether you’ll have a positive or negative experience. So, besides learning relocation tips, ensure you check some first-place tips, as well.

The sooner you start, the more time you’ll have for some necessary steps every relocation should have:

  • Decluttering get rid of everything you don’t use anymore. Ensure you donate (check Goodwill) all of that stuff that is in good condition.
  • Packing start the packing process like a pro several weeks before the moving day. But, ensure you gather all packing materials
  • Labeling – once you choose the right-sized box, ensure you label each of them.

Set the Relocation Budget and Decide How Much Money You Can Spend

The relocation process isn’t cheap at all. In fact, you’ll probably have to pay around $5,000 for long-distance relocation services. So, no wonder you wonder what the cheapest way to move out is. That’s why you should set your budget and know how much money you can spend on each service. No one likes unexpected expenses.

The good thing is that the less stuff you have, the less you’ll pay. Also, avoid last-minute relocation and choose a less busy period for relocating. For example, relocating in winter is a great solution, although many think it’s impossible to do it.

Calculator, notepad, and money on the white surface prepared for a long-distance moving company
Calculate expenses and don’t worry about unexpected expenses

What Do I Need to Do When Moving Into a New Apartment – Make a List That Will Keep You on Track

If you’ve never moved before, all these tasks could seem just too overwhelming. And it’s completely understandable because people who moved several times feel the same sometimes. It’s mostly because there’s no relocation checklist. Let’s say you’ll need a storage facility for some of your belongings, but you totally forget it in the whole chaos.

So, if you’re asking yourself what is the first thing to do in a new apartment, the answer is to create a move in the checklist. Not only is there no risk of forgetting some stuff when relocating, but you’ll be able to track your progress.

Apart from New Apartment Essentials, Ensure Everyone Is Noticed About the Move

Yes, having everything under control is very important when it comes to processes like this. However, to have a successful move, you should notify everyone about it. Financial institutions, banks, and alike should know that you changed your address. So, create one separate section on your relocation list for these tasks and ensure all utilities are transferred, and your future place is fully prepared.

Turned on a light bulb in the black background
Ensure everyone knows about the move

Start With Things To Do Before Relocation – Check Which Items You Have to Buy

When you realize all the benefits of relocating, think about all the items you need to bring from your old home or get from the store. This task will take a lot of time, but it will save you more money than you think. For example, you have a perfectly good bed, so why don’t you bring it to your future place? The same thing stands for every other room – kitchen, bathroom, storage. Go room by room and decide whether some items could find a home in your future condo.

The best way of doing this task is to make a new apartment shopping list. Also, it’s better to get it over with before the move, despite what many think. The settling-in process will be more efficient and faster. Here are how the list should look like:

  • Bathroom – what to buy (cleaning supplies and personal hygiene products) and bring from the old home.
  • Bedroom – check bed or mattresses, sheet set for bed, pillows, closet, and other storage and decide what to purchase.
  • Living room – decide if bulky furniture will be transported or you want to buy another one.
  • Kitchen – review cabinets, storage spaces, smaller appliances, and kitchen essentials.

Examine Bulky Appliances and Furniture and Decide Are They Worth Relocating

You probably already know this, but the more stuff you have, the pricier moving services will be. So, once you have a list of items that will go with you, ensure all of them are worth relocating. If you want your bed in your future bedroom, you should be sure it will survive the transportation and fit in the interior.

The same logic should apply to the kitchen and bathroom. Thinking about what does a new apartment need is more than just thinking about how to make a place feel like home. It will affect the whole relocation process because the rest will be much easier once you decide what you have to buy and whatnot.

Bedroom with bed and nightstand before cross-country moving
Check the shape of bigger appliances and furniture, such as bed and fridge

For Better Organization Have Mini List for Each Room Essentials

Dealing with a bunch of stuff at the same time can be pretty challenging. So, for better organization, you should check each room (as you did when decluttered) and create separate lists for them with items you should pack or buy. Then, if you want, you can gather all the lists in one binder and know exactly where to look for the bathroom list, for example.

The important thing to know is that once you have everything on paper or in digital format, the whole process will be a breeze. You won’t have to worry about whether you’ll forget about something.

Start With Kitchen and Bathroom Necessities

The best way is to start with kitchen and bathroom essentials because these two rooms have more items than other rooms. If you’re relocating to an unfurnished place, ensure you will be able to prepare a meal and take a shower in the first few days. The cleaning supplies, pantry, working fridge, smaller appliances, a pair of clean towels, toilet paper, and soap are surely items you’ll want to have in the future home until you settle down.

Proceed With Storage Ideas and How To Get More Free Space

The one thing many people forget to think about is the storage space. First, you have to check whether everything from the old house storage is needed and then create more space if you’re relocating from a house to a condo. Luckily, you can use many small condo ideas and have a cozy place just as you want. Check for some ideas in the video below.

Things You Need for an Apartment After the Move

Of course, you won’t have to get everything before the move. It’s good news because you maybe won’t have that amount of money to spend at one time, and you won’t have to pack all that stuff for the move,

One of the things to do after moving is to recheck all of your lists and see what you still have to get. There are indeed some things to buy for the new apartment you left for the period after the move. For example, you don’t have to get all the cleaning supplies and protect them for the cross-country movers when you can purchase them after settling in.

Deal With the Cleaning Part Before the Unpacking Process

Once the professionals unload the last box from the truck, don’t rush into organizing the unpacking process. You should do some cleaning first. Here, also, one checklist can be quite helpful. There are many cleansers to get, and some of them can easily slip your mind. So, write everything down and thoroughly clean every corner before you start with the unpacking.

Decorate the Bedroom and Living room as You Always Wanted

We all dream of having our place decorated as we always wanted, right? Once you get a chance to do it, don’t let anything ruin it for you. After you learn how to pack clothes, you’ll have the opportunity to pick your own dresser, nightstand, and even bed.

The same thing stands for the living room. If the place is not furnished, you can get creative and have your first condo decorated as you always imagined. So, as you may already know, making one of the lists for this task is always a good idea. Something can easily be forgotten from pillows, rugs, curtains, sheets, plants, shelves, and artwork.

White sofa in the living room with mug and brown basket on it
Picking the style and decorating each room as you always wanted should be a part of the apartment move-in checklist

Inspect the Future Place and Make Some Changes If Necessary

After the cleaning and unpacking, you should take care of some practical stuff. You surely wish to live in a completely safe place. So, here are some tips on how to do it:

  • Change locks,
  • Get an extra pair of keys,
  • Check the smoke detector,
  • Do the fumigation of your place,
  • Purchase the toolbox.
A black key in the door’s lock before long-distance moving
Inspect the place and make it safe

Moving Has Never Been Easier When You Have Everything Planned

Every relocation requires a good plan; otherwise, all you’ll remember is the relocation stress. Since no one wants that, have one or more lists that will keep you updated and make your first move an experience you’ll tell everyone.

Julie Grace

Originally from The Golden City, Julie has explored the ins and outs of moving and has written all the tips down.

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